Italy: Piemonte Region
- KB Cook
- Jan 10
- 13 min read
Day 109 Alessandria I
Arising at 8:30 with the alarm, I had a shower, packed and got one bag down to the kitchen where I couldn’t figure out the coffee machine. After bringing the second bag down, I sat outside in the shade as I had an 11:17 train through Voghera.
At 10:15 I headed to the Piecenza station, and was very surprised to find the train at the platform. Three stops to Voghera where I switched from the Swiss EBB train to the Italian regional train. It made a single stop in Tortona before reaching Alessandria 30 minutes later. A kilometer to Hotel Europa, where they upgraded me to a bigger bed in room 445.
Alessandria is located in the Piedmonte region of Italy in its northwest. It is in the center of a triangle created by Turin, Milan and Genoa, so would be very central to my explorations. On my train ride I decided to add Pavia to my itinerary, a 2-hours train ride from Alessandria. After a brief unpack, I returned to the train station and boarded the train. A nice town, I walked nearly a kilometer to reach the Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta e Santo Stefano Protomartire / Cathedral of the Assumption of Mary and St. Stephen Protomartyr. A huge building, the external red brick surface is nubbly, an almost corduroy texture. There is a massive octagonal lantern dome over the crossing.
I found my experience to be intense; there were frescos seemingly in every shrine dome. The aisles were wide, the vault superhigh. With very few folks in the cathedral, I had little concern about including the few souls in pictures. The many side altars set back under half-domes, the white stone surface lighted by natural light through many windows. The transept arm width was probably the most I’d seen.
For all this majesty, the cathedra was a carved modest armchair, set to the side of the sanctuary. After a half hour, I was heading back to the station. [If I’d checked Gcatholic, I would have learned of the ex-cathedral Basilica di San Pietro in Ciel d’Oro less than a kilometer away, which is also the burial place for St Augustine, a Doctor of the Church.]
As the train was passing through Valenza, which had been on the following day’s agenda, I hopped off and looked for a taxi to avoid the 2 kilometer / half hour walk. The commune doesn’t have a taxi as a local gem seller explained. Of (Asian sub-continent) Indian heritage, he then offered to drive me, explaining that Valenza was a jewelry making capitol. The Duomo di Valenza - Santa Maria Maggiore is large for the size of the commune, but dwarfed by that in Pavia. The front façade is of ivory stucco, similar to other northern cathedrals I’d visited.
Entering, the nave seemed to explode, it was more vast than the exterior suggests. Initially dark, lights came on a women arrived for the pre-Mass rosary. A series of elaborate illustrations fill the vault in shades of peach. White fluted columns support the clerestory windows and the roof. The transept runs north-south, with altars in each arm. The raised old high altar is backed by a set of red and white panels of drapes.
I didn’t find a cathedra – I was advised that the bishop’s throne was in Alessandria; this might be a co-cathedral. And unfortunately, I never heard the organ play: the Serassi organ is apparently renown and the acoustics in the cathedral are well noted.
Departing, I started heading to the bus stop, hoping to catch a bus directly to Alessandria. However, it didn’t show, and a local mini-bus pulled up and I had a ride to the train station. Five minutes later the train pulled in, and 2 stops later, I was back in Alessandria. I decided to head to the local cathedral, so crossed through the public garden, a local park filled with mature trees into the commercial center via pedestrian-only streets.
A squarish Baroque façade, the Cattedrale di San Pietro Apostolo e San Marco / Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle and St. Mark faced into the setting sun, a tall belltower in its northeast corner. Arriving at 6:35, the doors were open, so I figured to get outside shots before the 7pm close. As I began framing the pictures, the doors slammed shut. So I had my external pictures, but would have to return.
Back to the Hotel Europa and a much-needed pee, I pushed the three cathedral’s pictures up to Facebook and then lay down for a brief rest. Checking Maps for open nearby restaurants, I headed towards a brew bar which turned out closed. Next option was Ristorante Timo e Rosmarino, which had a single page food menu and 4 pages of wine options. My kind of place! I started with Sformato di erbette, fonduta di parmigiano e frolla salata alle noci (Herb flan, parmesan fondue and savory walnut shortcrust pastry) and a glass of ’23 Gavi – laghibellina from Mainin. Served hot, the flan was green from the spinach and loaded with flavor. I likened it to thick creamed spinach with bread crumb pieces.
The flan was followed by Ravioli del plin con fondo di gallina (mini ravioli filled with chicken and vegetables, a traditional Piedmonte dish) with a glass of ’23 Tamardi Langhe from Monchiero Carbone. The pasta was covered (at my request) with freshly shredded parmesan, with freshly ground black pepper to enliven my taste buds – matched nicely to the wine, which surprised me with an almost sweet palate element that I likened almost to candy. My main, the fish course, Trancio di nasello al forno, patata schiacciata e salsa di pomorodini acciughe e olive taggiasche (baked hake fillet, mashed potato, and a sauce of cherry tomatoes, anchovies, and Taggiasca olives) was matched to a ’21 Derthona from Battegazzore produced nearby in Tortona. The flavor was smoky, the fish served on a bed of potatoes and topped with the tomato preparation. The wine was more minerally than the first, which nicely enhanced the flavors of the dish.
To finish, Torta di pesche e amaretti con salsa al cioccolato fondente (Peach and amaretti cake with dark chocolate sauce) which was served warm. I felt it didn’t have much in the way of peach, but the dark chocolate sauce was supreme. The house provided a complementary small snifter of iced thyme digestif, which I thoroughly enjoyed.
With two more days hunkered down in Alessandria, I reviewed my options. Two cathedrals each day seemed practical, especially as Valenza had been in a direction opposite to Tortona and Casale Monferrato. My third day to Turin and Asti were a linear train run, which would be perfect. I headed back to the room, read for a bit, and set my alarm for the morning.
Day 110 Alessandria II
Awaken at 8:30, I was soon heading for the train station and boarded the earlier train to Torino (Turin). Apparently a faster and more expensive ride, the conductor gave me flack for not being on the Intercity train, so I got off at the train’s first stop in Asti (which I planned on visiting on my return.)
About 20 minutes by foot, I approached the Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta e San Gottardo / Cathedral of the Assumption of Mary and St. Gotthard. Monolithic, the blocky exterior of red brick is massive, with a broad piazza to its south, while the western entry’s space is a street and a rank of mature trees.
Facing the entry with the blazing eastern sun beating down, I noted the two side doors were walled over, but the three entries had circular stained-glass windows overhead. Entering through the southern portal, I began admiring the numerous frescos adorning the walls and vaults. Reviewing my photos, I was quite enamored of the many beautiful frescos, and spent 40 minutes moving around the church.
Just about 11am, I reviewed my options: the cathedral in Turin was closed from noon until 4pm, and getting from the Asti cathedral to the Torino cathedral couldn’t be accomplished in the time I had before noon. Opting for an exploration of Asti, I began a wander. Being bright and warm, I soon stuck to the broad, shaded Palladian walkways, where merchandise was offered from tables, the vendors with their backs to the vehicles passing on the streets. I was surprised to see several merchants offering vast collections of vinyl recordings, as I remembered giving my 12-feet of albums away before I left California 9 years ago. About 11:30 I pulled into a café-pub and got a “finger” (tastes) of a local Grignolino d’Asti, the light red wine of the region, and a Ruchè di Castagnole Monferrato from the city I would visit the next day. The wine vendor gave me a nod for including it in my itinerary. I found him quite knowledgeable.
At noon I caught the train to Torino, a 35-minute ride. Maps gave a straight shot, 6+ kilometers and 90 minutes, but construction of a fountain and pedestrian promenade triggered diversions. My notes report that I observed that much of the retail storefronts sold clothing, many with “Saldi” signs. I popped into an OVS, replacing a fading and torn blue pair of slacks. An hour later, as I approached the Piazza San Carlo, I noticed side-by-side gothic churches facing north into the plaza, separated by a narrow street. I entered the one on the east, Chiesa di Santa Cristina. Excessively ornate, I admired the vault’s trompe l’oeil illustrations, while feeling that this ceiling would be better as a 19th century opera house. Hungry, I entered a focacceria for servings with pepperoni and prosciutto, along with a Belgian amber.
Returning to my route, I noted the grillwork on some of the palladium’s entries, and then the ornate metalwork on the gates of the Palazzo Madama-Museo civico d’arte antica. A chocolate shop called my name, and I left with 5 bars of artisanal dark chocolate. Reaching the Cattedrale Metropolitana di San Giovanni Battista / Metropolitan Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, it was still closed, so I took my photos of the exterior without many pedestrians, and sought a shady spot in the park to the north to wait out until the 4pm opening. Within line of sight was the Porta Palatina and the remains of fortification walls.
Promptly at 4 I was through the doors, admiring the bright and clean white surfaces of the nave walls and vault. As I approached the altar, I stopped to admire the multiple niches of altar shires along the side aisle. To the left of the sanctuary Is a display, a photograph, of the head of Christ from the Shroud, which is no longer on display in the cathedral. The shrine has a floor to ceiling glass wall, and a maroon curtain. I sat for 15 minutes contemplating the photo, hoping that the curtain might move to reveal the actual Shroud. Not blessed, I resumed my passion’s pursuit. I tried to get behind the sanctuary, but the ambulatory was closed off. Another banner in the retail shop had a photo of half the Shroud – obviously enlarged as Christ would not have been nearly two meters tall.
After 35 minutes I was back outside, and began my amble back to the station, as my train ride would be two hours off. When I got back to Santa Cristina, I opted to visit the Chiesa di San Carlo (Borromeo), which while still ornate, was toned down from its neighbor.
Once at the station, I boarded the somewhat crowded train, sitting with 3 young men, all deeply engrossed on their phones. One got off in Asti, the younger two continuing with me to Alessandria. My walk back to the hotel was uneventful, however, I continued to be unimpressed by this city.
After dropping the Nikon in the room and grabbing the journal, I headed back out and settled at Vineria Mezzo Litro. Judging by the pictures on my phone over the next hour and a half plus, I sampled quite a few wines along with a tasting plate of bread, bruschetta, sausage slices and cheese. Sitting outside on the corner, my first taste was a ’24 Gavi from Piona; local grapes were used to make the “Aurora” from Anfossi, a rosato. Moving inside as the mosquitos were hungry (and cigarette smoke had seemed to keep them away) a ’24 Grignolino d’Asti from Pardi Fondatori (“founding fathers”), followed by a ’24 Ruchè del Monferrato Casalese “Gaudio”. Once I returned to the room, I set an alarm for the morning, read a few chapters and hit the sack.
Day 111 Alessandria III
Up again for the 8:30 alarm, I was out by 9:10 and on the 9:35 train for Casale Monferrato. Thirty-five minutes on the train and 15 minutes to walk nearly a kilometer, the Cattedrale di Sant’Evasio e San Lorenzo / Cathedral of St. Evasius and St. Lawrence is squeezed into a neighborhood of 4-story buildings, similar to Modena and Bologna. An interesting front façade, there is more frill work in white to contrast with the red brick used to face the building. Wide, the five entries implied five aisles inside, albeit the outer doors were walled over. Dual square-based red-brick with white stone highlights campaniles bracket the building.
A narthex greets the entering tourist or parishioner. Modern sculpture is placed around its floorspace. Once into the nave, the columns, striped in pale blue-gray and white, line all the aisles. The vault is twilight blue, with gold stars. The side chapels filling the outer aisle are all gated off, but nicely illuminated. The sanctuary is up three steps, behind a marble railing and iron gate. The newer altar table sits outside the apse, whose curved walls are lined with tall dark carved wood choir stalls on either side of the traditional high altar. Three arched windows with stained glass bring light into the apse. A Romanesque crucifix hangs within the sacred space.
This is an amazing cathedral, a true gem, blending Romanesque with Gothic styles. [While Wikipedia has the actual front façade displayed, Google Maps has another church, at least as of this writing.] I was there nearly an hour, appreciating the interior but feeling the small commune had crowded the space so it doesn’t fully breathe.
With time to spare, I wandered about, going into the Church of St Stephen, whose palate was mainly shades of gray. The huge dome over the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie drew me in as well, and as I used the Nikon, the SD chip announced it was full, and I replaced it with a new one, as I was prepared this time. My attention was drawn to the frescos in the dome and on the vault and columns.
A bit after noon, I wandered into Soliti Ignoti, a wine-serving deli. With a glass of Malfrè Rosé from Edoarda Biletta, I had a charcuterie board, followed by two whites: Femminile Singolare’s Hic et Nunc, a Barbera del Monferrato, and a Ruchè from Zoppi Cristina. They had planned to close at 12:30, but I kept them until 1:10, fully enjoying my light lunch. With my train due out at 2:45, I still had lollygagging time, so I sat down at Banco 182 and had a sample plate of 5 focaccia with a glass of Ruchè red.
By 2:30 I was back in the station and the train was whisking me towards Tortona via a change in Alessandria. From the train station it was a half kilometer walk, pretty much direct, to get to the bright white front façade of the Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta e San Lorenzo / Cathedral of the Assumption of Mary and St. Lawrence.
The piazza in front is a car park; the exterior side walls are faced in red brick. Inside, the barrel vault of the central nave (there are three aisles, the side aisles have stenciled cross vaults) is charcoal gray, a dark ceiling with stenciling and images.
The floor is set with diamond patterned mosaics of eight-pointed flowers and stars. The sanctuary is reached by 4 steps up from the nave base, the altar table thrust forward from the rest of the elevated high altar in the apse. That high altar and the backing altarpiece are of darker stone, carved and gilded. The whole platform sits with the carved wooden seats of the quire lining the curved wall of the apse.
Leaving at 4:30, I soon crossed a city park on my way to the train station. By 5:15 I was back in Alessandria, and the borders of the public garden outside the station were filled with motorcycles.
I was heading back to the Cathedral of Sts Peter and Mark, which should be open until before the 7pm closing. Fortune blessed me, and by quarter to six I was inside the building. With a tan and slate gray palate, stenciling enriched the surfaces of the arches and trompe l’oeil was used in the vault of the nave. The interior of the octagonal dome over the crossing depicted scenes from the life of the Blessed Virgin Mary, four circular windows plus a central lantern bringing light into the center of the church.
The high altar held busts of four bishop-saints in silver, a yellow marble throne in front for the bishop. Around the nave and in the transept various chapels were set, honoring past bishops and patron saints. I was delighted to find the ambulatory was open, enjoying the many paintings on the walls. At 6 as Mass began, I was back outside, trying for a better shot. I headed through the pedestrian street, now with townspeople moving about.
Back at the hotel, I did a bit of internet and headed back to Mezzo Litro, where I’d had a great experience Saturday evening. Unfortunately, it was closed for Sunday. The alternative was Fanciot, a bar with tables out on the sidewalk. Lunch had been filling enough that I didn’t need dinner, so a snack with a glass or two of wine sounded optimal.
Pleased to find the end table available, and two women non-smokers at the next table, I settled in to journal as the mosquitos came to visit. With the appetizer sampler plate, I had glasses of Barbera d’Asti (red) while I chatted with a German pair: Leon is a new father of Stella, who was sitting with his mother. The infant had been 5 weeks early, so was still in the hospital, keeping them from returning to Munich.
I found out that the motorcyclists had a big event the following day, and several were staying at the hotel. Through my window I could hear a rock & roll band playing, probably on the roof of the building cattycorner, a private club. Closing my window helped, and I was soon asleep.
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Wonderful photos! You weren't tempted to purchase jewelry? I didn't know that co-cathedrals existed. Thanks for sharing your journey!